Lamictal Rash

Has anyone developed a rash or hives from being on lamictal? If so, how long did it take for it to go away?

I started developing hives on Friday and it's getting worse. I've been on lamictal since July. Waiting to hear back from my dermatologist whether he thinks it could be from lamictal. I really don't want to start over on another mood stabilizer but guess I will if I have to.

Mine are on my neck, left shoulder and upper arm, and chest. He prescribed some sort of cream for it and told me to take an antihistamine.

I think SJS and TEN are typically treatable by antibiotics. if you think you might have either one, I'd definetly get seen asap...best of luck and keep us posted please!

Thanks Vans. I saw a dermatologist yesterday and all he said is it looked like hives. I should have mentioned to him that I'm on lamictal but didn't. I figured he knew what he was doing and if it looked like lamictal-caused hives he'd have said something. To be on the safe side, I called his office back this morning and inquired whether he thought it could be from lamictal. Waiting to hear back.

K good...I'm sure it's not TEN or SJS, and I'm glad you're on top of it!!

Well, the dermatologist said he's not sure if it's from lamictal so I should ask my pdoc if he wants me to stop taking it. I really don't want to start up on another mood stabilizer. I did start Prozac 2 weeks ago. I wonder if hives are ever caused by Prozac. Just left a message for my pdoc. Another Google search . . .

I'm confused. In one post you said you didn't tell the dermatologist you are on lamictal, but in your last post it sounds like you did.

You definitely MUST tell the dermatologist AND your pdoc about this rash. Lamictal rashes, if they end up being SJS, can be life threatening. Most of the time they aren't and all if fine, but you really shouldn't take that chance. Knew a man who started lamictal and ended up in the burn unit because of the severity of the SJS. It is rare, but it isn't something to play around with.

Chris, I wrote in my second post in this thread that while I originally didn't mention the lamictal to the dermatologist, I called his office back today to tell him. He has deferred to the pdoc on what to do about it. I just talked to the pdoc's nurse about it. She will check with the pdoc and get back to me. Thanks for the reminder about the potential severity of these hives.

Got it. Hope it is just a simple allergy or something.

[QUOTE=newgal2;3509385]Well, the dermatologist said he's not sure if it's from lamictal QUOTE]

I hope your Pdoc tells you if it is the rash or not. If pdoc is not certain but wants to take you off of it out of "an abundance of caution", could you discuss with them their thoughts on you meeting with another dermatologist that is more familiar with "The Rash" and give you a definitive answer?

Of course stop the med if your pdoc suggests it. Because you really like the med you could really push to confirm it is the rash for sure. HTH

I am curious what your pdoc says.

Well, the pdoc said to give it "some time" and see if it improves. The dermatologist did a biopsy, which I THINK can tell you if the problem is autoimmune or from medication or from something I came into contact with. I don't know . . . I guess if the pdoc isn't too concerned at this point, I'll try to relax and hope it improves with the antihistamine and some time.

Lamictal can cause a range of rashes not all are the worrisome kind. I got hives the last time I tried Lamictal. I decided to discontinue it. It wasn't that crucial anyway.

My doc didn't even see me but took me off immediately. Mine was more of a sunburn looking rash. Not necessary the deadly rash but a rash none the less and he didn't want it to worsen. Took me nearly 6 months (yes you read that right) before I broke out. I also had an itchy head. It took about 2-3 months before the rash went away and the itching stopped immediately. I do have an autoimmune disorder and break out all the time. However, I've not broke out like that with Tegretol so I'd say that something in the Lamictal was causing it.

Personally, I'd stop the meds only because you don't know what's causing it. Seems suspicious that it started after you got on lamictal. You might not have the deadly rash but if you are allergic or sensitive to the lamictal it's still no good.

From someone who gets hives all the time, they don't necessary always look like you'd expect the to. Sometimes I get ONE hive. And it looks like a pimple but itches like mad.

Good luck with this!!!

My head starting getting really itchy a couple of days before I broke out. I'm taking an antihistamine and using a topical corticosteroid cream and it seems to be helping somewhat. We'll see how much longer this drags on before I can't take the itchiness anymore, and maybe I'll ask my pdoc if I can take a different mood stabilizer if he still doesn't suggest going off it.

At least it doesn't seem to be progressing. That's a good sign. I think I've heard people talk about itchiness with lamictal, so that itchy scalp may be completely normal for the med. Keep us informed. Sometimes people start having problems with hives out of the blue. My mother started having that problem in her 50's and she realizes now that usually it is a stress response rather than an allergic reaction. It can be so many things.

This sounds really gross . . . the dermatologist's office called back and said I have "herpetic dermatitis!" This is apparently not contagious and is from the HSV-1 virus and not HSV-2 (as in genital herpes for the latter). I am to take Valtrex for it.

So it looks like I'm staying on the lamictal . . .

That's great news. There are actually a whole bunch of herpes viruses, and most of them are not venereal diseases. Don't let that bother you. Glad they found the cause and there is a treatment for it, AND you get to stay on lamictal.

Wow! Maybe that's what caused mine and I got off lamictal for no reason! I'm going to head to my doctor. Seriously. The Tegretol I'm on doesn't do nearly as much as the lamictal and so maybe I can switch back!

THANK YOU!!!

That would be great if you could rule out lamictal as the cause. The way the dermatologist found out it was this form of herpes for me is from doing a biopsy.

Oh wow I'm glad it wasn't lamitctal. I too have developed a rash but the nurses at the hospital gave me some special cream and it went away.

I got hives when I was on lamictal too. Mine were treated with antihistamines and I was fine and continued on the drug for a number of months after.

My pdoc would have taken me off immediately; get a second opinion.
When i wuz on wellbutren and having some kind of seizures, she took
me off immediately; if I had an allergic reaction like hives; she would
take me off immediately. Try asking ur pharmacist for their opinion.
Obviously the Lamictal is a reaction ur having, I suggest u NOT wait.
Keep me posted, or pm me. Gl

That makes no sense. You don't all of a sudden gets hives from a medication you've successfully taken for the last six months. Lamotrigine has a half-life of 29 hours, so factoring six half-lives, it would be entirely out of your system in 174 hours. Did your doctor just raise your dose or something? I would keep searching for something else that is causing your symptoms.

With all due respect to nycgal and nbritton, as I posted above, my dermatologist took a biopsy from the affected skin. It revealed that the cause of the hives/rash is the herpes virus, so there is no need to go off the lamictal.

As for the lamictal rash showing up months after one starts the medication, I have read that this is very possible.

Oh ok, gotchya.